unknown

unknown
I. adjective Date: 14th century not known or not well-known; also having an unknown value <
an unknown quantity
>
II. noun Date: 1597 1. one that is not known or not well-known; especially a person who is little known (as to the public) 2. something that requires discovery, identification, or clarification: as a. a symbol (as x, y, or z) in a mathematical equation representing an unknown quantity b. a specimen (as of bacteria or mixed chemicals) required to be identified as an exercise in appropriate laboratory techniques

New Collegiate Dictionary. 2001.

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  • Unknown — may refer to: * a lack of knowledge * a variable to be solved for in a mathematical equation * an actor or footballer or singer who is not yet famous * John Doe, an unknown person* Unknown unknown, an unanticipated uncertainty in a formal… …   Wikipedia

  • unknown — ► ADJECTIVE ▪ not known or familiar. ► NOUN ▪ an unknown person or thing. ● unknown to Cf. ↑unknown to …   English terms dictionary

  • unknown — [unnōn′] adj. not known; specif., a) not in the knowledge, understanding, or acquaintance of someone; unfamiliar (to) b) not discovered, identified, determined, explored, etc. n. 1. an unknown person or thing 2. an unknown mathematical quantity:… …   English World dictionary

  • unknown — (adj.) c.1300, strange, unfamiliar (of persons, places), from UN (Cf. un ) (1) not + pp. of KNOW (Cf. know). Cf. O.E. ungecnawen. In ref. to facts, attested from early 14c. The noun meaning unknown person is recorded from 1590s …   Etymology dictionary

  • unknown to — ► unknown to without the knowledge of. Main Entry: ↑unknown …   English terms dictionary

  • Unknown — Un*known , a. Not known; not apprehended. {Un*known ness}, n. [R.] Camden. [1913 Webster] …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • unknown — index anonymous, blind (concealed), clandestine, covert, defunct, disputable, hidden, inexplicable …   Law dictionary

  • unknown — [adj] obscure, mysterious alien, anonymous, concealed, dark, desolate, distant, exotic, far, faraway, far off, foreign, hidden, humble, incog*, incognito, little known, nameless, new, remote, secret, so and so*, strange, such and such*,… …   New thesaurus

  • unknown — {{Roman}}I.{{/Roman}} noun 1 place/thing that you know nothing about ADJECTIVE ▪ big, great ▪ What the weather will be like on the day is, as always, the great unknown. VERB + UNKNOWN ▪ explore, face …   Collocations dictionary

  • unknown — [[t]ʌ̱nno͟ʊn[/t]] ♦♦♦ unknowns 1) ADJ If something is unknown to you, you have no knowledge of it. An unknown number of demonstrators were arrested... How did you expect us to proceed on such a perilous expedition, through unknown terrain... The… …   English dictionary

  • unknown — un|known1 W2 [ˌʌnˈnəun US ˈnoun] adj, adv 1.) not known about ▪ The murderer s identity remains unknown . ▪ For some unknown reason , Mark quit his job and moved to Greece. ▪ a voyage through unknown territory ▪ An unknown number of people were… …   Dictionary of contemporary English

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